NBN Co said it required its head contractors to be responsible for the “professional and timely performance” of their work and their subcontractors.

It also said subcontractors should arrange written agreements to clarify “payment expectations”.

Over two-month wait for internet to be fixed

Tony Arnold, from Hobart, endured a 68-day wait to get his internet reconnected after a garbage truck struck a telephone pole, whiplashing the power and internet cables.

While Mr Arnold’s electricity was restored the next day, it took a week before someone attended his property to try to restore the internet.

“I just thought it would be a simple fix for him to come and reconnect the telephone line to the house,” Mr Arnold said.

“[But he said] he wasn’t allowed to do the job because of health and safety.”

Five weeks later, after multiple complaints to his internet provider and filing a complaint with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, another technician called Mr Arnold but explained the job was too difficult for him to fix.

Two technicians finally arrived at Mr Arnold’s home last week and restored the cables in only 45 minutes.